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It seems like “13 Reasons Why” has taken over the internet. We know the show has a lot to say, and lots of us connect with it for different reasons. Here are short examples of how we would handle some of the issues presented in 13RW. They show you how differently a conversation can go than what you may have seen in 13 Reasons Why. [Read more…] about 13 Reasons to Text YouthLine

Perspectives from a teen working on a teen-to-teen crisis line

By Molly Benson

TLDR: We want you to know that struggling alone, feeling isolated, and dealing with pain is really hard. You don’t have to deal with it alone. There is help and hope. YouthLine offers support for whatever you are going through. Teens are available to help daily from 4-10pm Pacific Time (adults are available by phone at all other times): text “teen2teen” to 839863, call 877-968-8491, chat www.oregonyouthline.org or email YouthL@linesforlife.org.

13 Reasons Why (13RW) is a TV series based on the fictional story of a high schooler named Hannah who dies by suicide and leaves behind cassette recordings for the thirteen people who she feels are responsible for her death. While the popular Netflix series is bringing attention to the painful impact suicidal ideation has on teens, here are 13 reasons I think this show doesn’t get it right. Content warning: this post talks about sexual assault, depression, suicide, bullying, and also contains spoilers for 13 Reasons Why.[Read more…] about 13 Reasons I’m Not Okay with 13RW

Life is full of stressors. In fact, just writing this blog post is a little stressful. It is important to recognize the stressors in our lives and build up ways to manage that stress. Don’t let the stress rule you! This basic skill is one of the first things that we learn in YouthLine training, and is something that we work on with each one of our callers/texters and chatters.

Managing stress can look very different for each person, because everyone experiences stress differently- and that’s ok! Like how something may be stressful for one person and not stressful for another, one way of dealing with stress may be helpful for one person and not helpful for another. This is why it is important for you to recognize what works for you and start building a collection of stress management skills that you can use in whatever situation you might find yourself in. [Read more…] about Top 5 Ways to Deal with Stress

School Based Health Centers (SBHC) are an easy and affordable way for middle and high schoolers in Portland to be able to see a doctor about both physical and mental health issues. They can help you with routine physical exams, sports injuries, prescriptions and even counseling. But what about when the summer comes and you’re out of school?

It turns out there will be one SBHC that stays open during the summer months. Parkrose High School’s SBHC will stay open from June 18 to August 16 and you can call them to make an appointment at 503-988-3392. It’s really scary not knowing where to go to get help for anything involving your health, physical or mental, so make sure you keep in mind that this is still available to you even when you aren’t in school. You can visit their website for more information about how to get in touch with them, what they do, and directions to Parkrose High.

Here’s a USA Today article informing young woman about contraceptive sabotage, or what they call reproductive coercion. It says that women should look out for relationships where a partner is “hiding or destroying a woman’s birth control method of choice; poking holes in a condom or removing it during sex; coercing a woman to carry out or end a pregnancy against her will through violence or threats; and intentionally exposing her to a sexually transmitted disease.” Another study shows that 1 out of 5 teen are exposed to intimate partner violence, commonly associated with contraceptive sabotage. That study quotes a 17 year old who said:

“Like the first couple of times, the condom seems to break every time. You know what I mean, and it was was just kind of funny, like, the first 6 times the condom broke. Six condoms, that’s kind of rare. I could understand 1 but 6 times, and then after that when I got on the birth control, he was just like always saying, like you you should should have have my baby, you should have my daughter, you should have my kid.”

Destroying or hiding contraception and threatening you when you use it is a form relationship abuse, and should be taken very seriously. We suggest that you keep track of your contraception – bring your own condom, know exactly what your birth control pills look like and check them before you take them, and check to be sure your ring is in place – and if you feel like you are being pressured to do things you don’t want to do please reach out for help. Text teen2teen to 839863 or call 1-877-968-8491. Take care of yourself!